Tag Archives: car dealerships

Safety recall defects are dangerous, putting precious lives at risk. So why don’t consumers get safety recall repairs done? Surveys show that a major reason is that many consumers are afraid of taking their car to a car dealer.

According to a report in the Detroit News:

“The big problem is that recalls depend upon the private vehicle owner to take the car to a dealer and get it fixed. In newer cars, that compliance rate is more than 80 percent, but when a car is five years old or older, the rate drops to around 44 percent, according to a new survey by ChecktoProtect.org which was founded by FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) and the nonprofit National Safety Council and announced June 22.

Surveys done by Autotrader.com show that a lot of car buyers don’t trust dealers to fix recall issues properly, and they also worry about the dealer charging them extra for non-recall repairs.”

Imagine handing over your personal financial information, including your home address, Social Security number, birth date, and amount you earn each month, to a dealership finance manager who just happens to have a history of engaging in identity theft. Creepy, no?

Unfortunately, some dealers fail to do even basic background checks of prospective employees. As a result, you may end up exposed to identity theft. The FTC has issued “Red Flag” rules aimed at curbing ID theft at auto dealerships, which is a step forward, but — they don’t have the staff or resources to police compliance.

Bottom line: This is yet another reason to ALWAYS get your financing lined up with a reputable lender BEFORE you shop for a car.